Morning journal and courier., 1887-09-08
LEE RENFRO,s DEATH.
Act Fourth in the BI cody Tragedy of
 the Cottonwood Ranch.

Act Fourth fn the B1 cody Tragedy of
 the Cottonwood Ranch. From the Apache Critic
 By way of preface to the detailed reports of the killing of that dastardly murderer, Lee Renfro, which occurred on the Sth of this month in the White Mountains, I will
 briefly relate the circumstances under which Renfro murdered Isaac N. Ellinger, we'll known in this community, young man of strict integrity, temperate habits, and pos- sessing all the qualities that are requisite to make good citizen.
 Some time last fall, while Ellinger was temporarily absent from his ranch which was situated just across the territorial line of New Mexico, and known as the Cotton wood ranch, one Craig, at the instigation of Renfro, jumped the property. Mir. FL finger had purchased the place more than a year previous, and had made 1t his home and headquarters. About the 9th of Nov enber last, he with Wilds P. Hummer, went to the Clanton ranch, and, upon the invita- tion of the Clantons, dismounted and took dinner. Besides these two gentlemen there were present at the table Ike and Phil Clanton, and Lee Renfro, and Bill Jackson.
 While dining the subject of the jumping of the ranch came up, but no hard words were passed. The first to finish eating were MT. Ellinger, Ike Clanton and Lee Renfro. who arose. and passed to Phin Clanton's cabin, some ten twelve steps dis tant. They had but entered the rooms when Renfro commenced to abuse Ellinger for something that was reported had been said about the jumping of the ranch, at the same time picking up his six shooter from the table and walking toward Ellinger. At this iuncture Ike Clanton stepped in
 between them, but Renfro suddenly threw his pistol around Ike and shot Ellinger in the breast. MT. Ellinger lived several days in great agony, suffering thousand deaths, and died on the 10th day of November last. Renfro, seeing that his victim had received mortal wound, asked for a horse. which was at once furnished by the Clantons, and he rode away and has been skulking in the mountains of Arizona the most of the time since, fugitive from justice, with no other company than outlaws and wild
 beasts.
 It is strange how this kind of characters, in spite of their precautions, meet their
 doom. Renfro, with some of his kindred spirits, was camped in a canon opening out
 on tha Rio Bonito, in the mountains on the Apache Indian reservation, on the Sth day of this month. On the same date 8 Secret Service officer, accompanied by three men furnished him by the agent of the San Car los Indians, by singular chance, happened
 to be hunting for stolen cattle belonging to the San Carlos agency, in the neighbor- hood where Renfro and his company were camped. As the officer and posse were riding across plateau they observed man come out of canon about 150 yards distant on foot and in his shirt sleeves. The officer said to two of his men:
 s'You fellows ride over to that man and tell him that we are from the Southern country, ard, if possible, get him to come over here, es want to question him about the trails"
 Tho +xzo man roda ovar fo tba man in his shirt sleeves, and, conversing with him few moments, they together returned to where they had left the officer and his re- maining companion, who had in the mean time dismounted and were pretending to be fixing their saddles When the approaching party was within ten or fifteen paces the secret service officer, who had his horse
 between him and the approaching party, re- cognized Renfro. He quickly stepped in front of his horse and called out: "Lee Renfro, throw up your hands!" re- beating the order twice.
 Renfro, instead of obeying the command, attempted to pull his six shooter, when the officer fired, shooting him through the upper part of the heart and left lung. Renfro fell. The officer ran to him, and Renfro, calling him by name, asked: ssDid you shoot me for money2" The officer replied: ''No, I shot you because you resisted arrest"
 
 me-" and asked the officer to take his watch and other effects he had on his person and send them to his brother in Cowboy, Texas, and, without speaking another word, breathed his last.
 This man Renfro was an abject and ser vile tool of Ike Clanton, who met the same fate but a few weeks before, and they both occupy untimely graves within twenty miles of each other in the wilds of the White Mountains. It is remarkable the swift and terrible retribution which has followed every man closely connected with the jumping of the Cottonwood ranch and the murder of Ike Ellinger.
 Craig, the man who jumped the ranch, was shot and killed at Fairview, N. M., in drunken wrangle over race horse; Ike Clanton, who was present when Ellinger was shot down, followed closely in Craig's trail, leading into the dark valley of death, and now comes on the same ghastly trail the quaking, cringing, murderous soul of Lee Renfro, all orimsomed with the blood of an honest citizen, rushing headlong in quest of the kindred spirits who have so shortly preceded him into the "great unknown" that ''undiscovered country from whence no traveller returns.
 Thus ends the fourth act in the bloody tragedy of the murder of Isaac Ellinger.